Mādhava’s Ṛgvedavyākhyā and the System of Galitas

Summary

The article provides a critical literary analysis of Paumacariyam, the earliest Jain Ramayana, composed in Maharashtri-Prakrit by Vimalasuri around the 5th century CE. This Jain narrative epic retells the Ramayana through the lens of Jain philosophy, presenting Rama (Padma), Lakshmana, and Ravana as Baladeva, Vasudeva, and Prativasudeva respectively. It focuses on Rama’s life from birth to liberation, portraying him not as a divine incarnation but as a heroic figure within the Jain cosmology. Key Highlights: 1. Narrative Structure: The epic unfolds through interconnected events starting from Kaikeyi’s svayamvara, building into a dramatic sequence involving exile, battles, and Ravana’s defeat. The narrative is both brisk and clear, avoiding dense compounds typical of classical Sanskrit poetry. 2. Innovations & Deviations: Vimalasuri introduces unique episodes (e.g., Rama’s madness, Sugriva's internal feud), diverging from Valmiki’s version to offer a Jain interpretation and moral framework. 3. Poetic Qualities: Rich in onomatopoeia, rhythm, and dramatic dialogues, the text balances simplicity with literary charm. It uses direct discourses, vivid emotional expressions (love, pity, heroism), and integrates Jain ethics subtly. 4. Descriptive Richness: Includes detailed depictions of geography (Magadha, Lanka, rivers, forests), seasons, social contrasts (rich vs. poor), and psychological states (e.g., Rama’s insanity, Sita’s exile). 5. Figures of Speech: Abundant in similes (upama), metaphors (rupaka), fancies (utpreksa), and sound-based aesthetics (shabdālankāras), though many are conventional. 6. Jain Ethical Undertone: The narrative foregrounds Jain values such as non-violence, modesty, and renunciation, interspersed with moral maxims and didactic episodes.